The invention relates broadly to agricultural implements such as collection hoppers and the like. More particularly, the present invention comprises a swingably mounted truck hopper assembly for use in collecting and transporting particulate material, such as feeds, roughage, grains or the like, which is capable of receiving the particulate material from directly underneath the discharge outlet of the vehicle.
Hoppers are generally used to receive rough particulate material which is to be distributed through augers or other conveying machinery to a predetermined location. Most hoppers are comprised of a plurality of sidewalls and a lower, rigid oblique internal surface which cooperate to provide a feed or product receptive enclosure. An auger or other conventional conveying apparatus may be associated with the hopper to convey the contents to a desired position. For example, augers may be conveniently used to convey grain or corn to an upper storage bin.
In recent years, semitrailer trucks and railroads have accounted for a large part of the transportation means for agricultural products. Typically, a semitrailer or railroad car has an outlet for discharging agricultural products along its bottom. It is desirable, therefore, that a hopper be made which can be positioned directly under the discharge opening of the vehicle so that the agricultural products or grain will fall directly into the collection chamber of the hopper.
During the unloading process, the distance between a conveyor and successive railroad cars or semitrailers is variable. It is extremely time consuming to have to physically move a hopper to the unloading position of the semitrailer or railroad car for each successive unloading operation. It is, therefore, also desirable that a hopper for collecting and transporting particulate materials be capable of extending or retracting directly underneath the discharge opening of each successive semitrailer or railroad car which the hopper services.
The distance between the ground level and the discharge opening of the semitrailer or railroad car is also variable depending on the make and type of transportation means. Prior hoppers have not been able to be positioned in close alignment with the discharge opening of the semitrailers or railroad cars, as prior hoppers had their collection chambers at a constant height from or at ground level. This causes loss of a portion of the particulate material which falls from the discharge opening into the collection chamber of the hopper assembly. It is, therefore,further desirable that an apparatus for collecting and transporting particulate material from a semitrailer or railroad car be capable of raising or lowering the collection chamber of the hopper so that the collection chamber is closely abutting the discharge opening of the semitrailer or railroad car thereby preventing loss of the particulate material during unloading operations.
In many applications, successive semitrailers or railroad cars are unloaded in one continuous operation. To unload the vehicles in as efficient a manner as possible, the hopper assembly should be capable of moving to an out-of-the-way position so that successive semitrailers and railroad cars may be easily moved into their unloading position without the necessity of moving the entire hopper assembly. It is, therefore, also desirable that a hopper for collecting and transporting particulate material from a semitrailer or railroad car provide for a swivel means which permits the hopper assembly to be placed in an out-of-the-way position when successive semitrailers or railroad cars are unloaded in one continuous operation.
The present invention is directed toward solving these problems and provides a workable and economical solution to them.